Brazil. Joao V 6400 Reis 1744-R. Rio mint. Marked RH for Richard
Humphries. KM151. XF. Clipped and re-edged. Plugged and marked
RH by Richard Humphries, Philadephia. Plug removed. Current weight
suggests a 9 dwt or higher standard before removal of the plug
(211.0 grains); if the plug weighed 5 grains, this would be
precisely 9 dwt. A fascinating piece, a coin that has undergone
more abuses than nearly any other in the collection. The surfaces
are light yellow gold, still a bit lustrous, though lightly
cleaning has dulled the surfaces somewhat. Some removeable residue
clings to the portraits hair, old glue or something similar. 6 H is
lightly scratched, one character above the other, in the right
obverse field. Some shadows of encrustation remain in obverse
lettering. The edges have been lightly clipped, leaving about half
of the denticles' length remaining, re-edged with a simple pattern
resembling thick reeds.

The minor remnants of the regulation stamp, facing up at central
obverse, evaded identification by Ralph Gordon, from whom this was
acquired in 1981. The presence of another Humphries regulated piece
in this collection allowed the consignor to correctly identify what
mark these vestiges hid.
This plug was removed at some point during this coin's useful life,
judging from the wear on the ring around where the plug would have
been removed. Perhaps the island (Guadeloupe?) where the plug was
plucked was not accustomed to seeing regulations by Humphries and
deemed it false.

Gordon appears to have described this exact coin in his chapter on
the 1803 Guadeloupe standard, which called for coins with false
plugs to have the plugs removed and then circulate as gold discs on
the basis of their weight. On p. 74, he notes "no example as been
located for illustration. Rumbel , Lot 7, was catalogued 'Half
Dobra or Half Joe 1744 John V Rio Mint. Was originally plugged in
center to increase weight, later plug was removed.'" This coin fits
that description precisely and would appear to be a match.